Lubricating apparatus



Oct. 26, 1937.

S. D. LOCKE ET AL LUBRICATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 51,1925 ===i Em IN V EN TORJ' Zoe/fie and 05th 7* A44 A TTORNEYS.

,6 lvanas D Crles R.D BY

s. D. LOCKE 5+ AL 2,0 7,126

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Oct. 26, 1937.

Filed July 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z'vanus .D.

\ IN V EN T 0R8 A5 Locke and C ZesR. Dose/Z ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 26, 1937 PATENT- OFFICE 2,097,126 LUBRICATING APPARATUS:

Sylvanus D. Locke, Bridgeport, and Charles R. Desch, Stratford, Conn.,assignors, by 'mesne assignments, to Stewart-Warner Corporation;Chicago, 111., a corporation of Virginia Application July 31, 1925,Serial No. 47,284

24 Claims. (01. 184-7) This application is a continuation in part of ourapplication for patent, Serial No. 411,533, filed.

September 20, 1920, now Patent No. 1,847,434, issued March 1, 1932.

Our present invention relates to a lubricating apparatus for mechanism,and more particularly for motor vehicles.

One of the objects of our present invention is to provide an arrangementby which all parts of a vehicle requiring lubrication maybeautomatically lubricated in accordance with the need of each bearing.Another object of our invention is to provide a means by which a bearingmay be lubricated automatically and intermittently by apredeterminedamount of lubricant supplied at predetermined intervals.

Another object of our invention is to provide a means by which aquantity of oil may be supplied to a branched pipe, the branches ofwhich lead to different bearings, and by which each bearing will obtainits required amount of lubricant from the common supply pipe.

vention consists of the construction and arrangen ment of partshereinafter described and more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a part of an automobile,which we have adopted to illustrate one form of our invention, showingin more or less diagrammatic form a part of the chassis and of theengine, the engine being shown above its normal position for the sake ofclear.- ness; Fig. 2 is an elevation of an illustrative form ofdistributor valve which may be used in carrying out our invention, Fig.2 being a section of Fig. 3 on the line 22; Fig. 3 is a vertical centralsection of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; Figs. 4 and 5are, respectively, elevation and plan of the combination of intermit--tently and continuously moving gearing shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with thegearing arranged as for the normal operation of our device; Figs. 6 and7 correspond to Figs. 4 and 5, with the intermittent gearing thrown outof operation, and continuous gearing substituted therefor; Figs. 8 and 9correspond to Figs. 4 and 5, but with the gearing thrown entirely out ofoperation; Fig.

10 is an enlarged sectional view detailing a flow retardant in eachbranch of the branched pipe; Fig. 16a is a similar view of a variantform of flow retardant; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section showing oneillustrative form of measuring devi e; and Fig. 12 is a vertical sectionon the line |3l3 of Fig. 11.

In the drawings, corresponding parts have corresponding characters.

connection with an automobile of a known type, in which I0 is a side baror member shown as having a channel section, as is usual, and H and 12are, respectively, the rear and front axles or parts which ultimatelycarry the weight or the vehicle to the wheels. Between the parts H andI2 and the side member 10 are the usual springs l3, l4, connected byshackle bolts I5, l6, H, and 18, all as usual, the shackles l5 and. i2being connected with pins attached to'the frame II] by the links l9 and20. On the frame H! is carried a gas engine of any of the well knowntypes, and which generally is suspended on the side frames, so that thecenter line ofits crank shaft extends -just above the axle I2. In Fig.1, however, in order to clarify the disclosure,

- invention may be applied, we have shown it in v the engine isshownabove its normal position. I In-the form of the engine which Wehaveadapted V ith these and other objects in view our in for purposes ofillustration, 20 is a crank shaft extending along the engine base andhaving rear the art and further description will be unnecessary' to acorrect understanding of our invention. a

The shackle bolts connecting the springs I3, M with the side frames, aswell as other bearings, such as the steering knuckles and links, valverocker arms and the like, require a relatively small amount of lubricantat relatively long intervals,

since the motion of the parts carried thereon is comparatively small.Nevertheless, some lubrication is required; and heretofore, it 'has beenthe usual practice to lubricate each of these bearings separately byapplying the lubricant directly to them whenever the user of the machinedeemed it necessary. This non-automatic lubrication results in frequentneglect, and is, in any event, a task avoided, if possible, by the userof V the vehicle.

It has been theusual practice to flood the bearings of the crank shaftand sometimes of other parts of the engine with lubricant carried in thebase of the engine, the pump 26 supplying a continuous stream through apipe 28 to a horizontal for the lubrication of the shackle bolts andforany other parts of the vehicle which require only a relatively smallamount of lubrication, such as the steering knuckle, one of which isillustrated at 33, the rocker arms for overhead. valve engines and thelike.

provided to modify this supply so asto adapt it to lubricate the partsjust referred to; As-an illustrative form of our invention, we provide apipe ill in continuation of the'pipe 28-and extending through the motorcasing to a valve mechanism, which we designate generally in Fig. 1 bythe character 32. which valve mechanism, as will be more fully explainedhereinafter, is operated,

, in theillustr-ative form of our invention, by the vertical shaft 25.From the'valve mechanism 32 leads one or more pipes which connectthrough suitable branches with the several bearings to be lubricated.For instance; a pipe 33 extends to horizontal pipes 34 and 35 spportedin the side frame It. The pipev 34 through pipe 36 communicates with theshackle bolt 16 and directly with the pin supporting the member l9through whichthe lubricant may be carried directly to the shackle beltl5; Similarly, pipe 35 leads to the shackle bolt i8.- A second pipe'3lalsoextends from the valve-32 to an arrangement at the front end of theframe 10 (not necessary to be described herein), and thence a. pipe 38extends to the steering knuckle 39. A branch 39 connects the pipe 35with the supporting pin over the link 28 and thence the lubricant willflow to the shackle bolt 5?. imilar pipes will connect the valve 32 withany other bearings it is desired to lubricate.

In the form illustrated, we arrange the valve 32 so that the severallubricant feed pipes will be connected to the oil supply pump atdefinite intervals, which ordinarily will be relatively widely spacedapart in time. One form of such valve mechanism, which may be used inconnection with our invention, is shown in enlarged View in Figs. 2 and3, in which $9 is a valve casing having a cover 4| through which extendthe pipes 33, and

flood the several bearings to be lubricated, or

to clean the pipes or the like.

The valve plate 52 is rotated by a tongue- 4'! engaging ina'groove inthe valve plate 42 and carried on the end of a shaft 48 supported in abearing in the casing 40. The pipe 3i'extends into oneside of thechamber in the casing Ml to supply the lubricant thereto from the pump 26, and it will be seen that when the opening registers with any one ofthe lubricating pipe openings, the pressure from the pump 26-will betransmitted;

It is obvious, however, thatsince the pump 26 is supplying a continuousstream of oil to the motor bearings, an apparatus must be through thepipe 3! andthe casing 43, into the pipe for so long as the opening 43isopposite the pipe opening. Preferably, as in the form illustrated,the'plate 42 is rotated, by the engine, so that the oil supply to theseveral bearings will be governed by the approximate distance traveled.At the rear of the casing Gil is a casing 58 which carries suitablegearing to connect the engine with the valve plate 42. On the shaft 25is a spiral gear 5| engaging with a corresponding gear on the cam shaft2 3 of the engine, this shaft 25 being. carried through suitablebearings in the casing 50 and extendin to the ignition timing deviceinthe form illustrated in the drawings. On the shaft 25'is a worm 52engaging with a worm gear 53 carried by a vertical shaft 5d supportedinthe casing 56. A second worm 55 is mounted on the shaft 5 and mesheswith a worm gear 55 on a horizontal shaft 57;. While these worms andgears considerably reduce the speed of the shaft 51 in comparison withthe speed of the engine shaft, yet it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that-if this gearing were directly connected to the plate 42,the several bearings would be lubricated at too frequent intervals.Preferably, therefore, we introduce between the shaft and the plate 42broken or intermittent gearing, which will still further considerablyincrease the ratio between the turns of the engine and of the plate 42and yet which will cause the plate 42 to turn with a relatively highvelocity when the opening 43is passing the end of one of the lubricatingpipes, so as not to prolong unduly the time during which pressure isapplied from the valve chamber to thepipe. As an illustrative form ofsuch broken gearing, we have shown a single toothed gear 58 attached toshaft 5? and beside it a spur gear 59. The single toothed gear 58engages with the tooth of the spur gear 66 On an idler shaft 6!, the hubof the gear 60 having attached to it asingle toothed gear 62whichengages with a wide faced gear 63 connected to the shaft 48 throughwhich the plate 32 is driven by the'tongue 4?. The relative arrangementof these gears is best shown in Figs. land 5 where the shafts have beenshown as in the same plane, although in the form illustrated, the shaft6| is actually at one side of the plane of the shafts 58 and 57; As aconvenient means of locking gears 69 and 63 against rotation, exceptwhen the single teeth of gears 53 and G2 are engaging therewith, thebody portions of gears 58 and 62 may be provided with circular portionsarranged to contact with the extreme edges of the teeth on gears 60'and63, as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 8.

With the shaft 25 continuously rotating, the shaft 57 is alsocontinuously rotated, but at a relatively low rate of speed by reason ofthe worm and worm gears between the two shafts. The shaft 48 and with itthe plate 52 is given an intermittent or step by step motion atprolonged intervals and only when the single toothed gear GZengages withthe gear 63. This engagement does not occur, of course, until the singletoothed gear 58 has made a sufficient number of turns to rotate the gear69 once. By proper proportion of the parts, however, the opening 23 maybe made to pass entirely across the entrance to one of the oil pipesduring the time of the engagement of the single tooth of the gear .62with the gear 63, and since,'at that time, the single tooth of gear 58is also engaged with the gear 38, there is, for that interval only, asubstantialiy continuous gear connection between the plate l2and theengine shaft. Thus the time of opening of the valve 43 maybe relativelyshort and yet the valve relation to the engine shaft, but it gives thevalve plate 42 a motion which is peculiarly useful in carrying out theillustrated form of our invention.

The gears 60, 62 are freely rotatable on the shaft BI and may also beslid longitudinally thereof from the position shown in Fig. 5 to thoseshown in Figs. 7 to 9, this sliding being accomplished by a tonguemember 65 on the end of 'a longitudinally movable stud 66 extendingthrough the casing 50, this stud being held in any one-of three adjustedpositions by means of a springheld ball ratchet of any well known type,the ball engaging in suitable grooves in the stud 66. In Figs. 3, 4, and5, the gearing is shown in the position in which it will be during thenormal operation of our device, but if it is required to cut out theoperation of the intermittent gearing, as

may be desired under some circumstances, the stud 66 is moved to itscentral position, thus carrying the gearing to the position shown inFig. '7, so that the plate 42 will be continuously rotated, thus greatlyshortening the intervals between the lubrications of the bearings.

the position shown in Fig. 9, which completely disconnects the plate 42from the engine shaft in the event that it is desired to suspend theautomatic lubrication of the bearings.

At each rotation of the valveplate 42 and durv to the hearings to whichit leads. In the form of our invention illustrated, the flooding of thebearings is prevented by providing a flow retardant in each branch, sucha retardant being illustrated in Figs. 10 and 10a, in which a plug, as acotton wicking 61, is inserted in the pipe 36 leading to the bearing Hi.In Fig. 10a, the plug i3! is spaced from the bearing, a port 61 leadingfrom the plug to the bearing. It will be understood that each bearing issupplied with a flow'retardant. 7

In some instances we have found it desirable to place a measuring valvein each branch ad-=' jacent the flow retardant and on the pump sidethereof. One form of such a valve we have illustrated in the arrangementshown in Figs. 11'

two valve seats, one of which may be designated as a portion 15 of themember H and the other as a portion 16 of the member 1 I. It will beseen that, in the position shown in the drawings, the valve 13 is seatedagainst valve seat 15, so as to ,close the pipe against the flow offluid in the di- A'further motion of the stud 66 will move the gear torection of the arrow in Fig. 11 until the pressure L of such. fluid isgreat enough to .overcome'the pressure of the spring 14. When the valveis;

in this position, it is-above the seat 16 so as to connect the chamber12 with the central cavity. This wouldpermit any fluid in the chamber 72to flow out into the central cavity and finally out of the end 11.Whenlthe valve 13 is moved to the left of Fig. 11, however, so that itseats itself against the seat. 16 by sliding longitudinally in thecentral cavity, the valve illustrated is long enough to first cut offthe chamber 12 from all connection with the central cavity and finally,by the further motion to the left of the valve I3, to open the chamber12 to the end 18 of the valve body, thus permitting fluid to flow fromthe end 18 into the cavity 12.

With the parts arranged as shown in Figs. 1. to

10a of the drawings, and theengine in motion, lubricant will be suppliedcontinuously to some of the bearings, and particularly to the shaftbearings of the engine. The gearing connected to the valve 32 will alsobe moved, but by reason of its character will rotate the valve plate 42relatively slowly, so as toopen the valve 32 only after a predeterminednumber of turns of the engine. If

the machine has been in use previously,'the several pipes will be filledwith lubricant, none of which can pass to the respective bearings,however, because of the presence of a flo-w'retardant 61 adjacent eachbearing. When, in the course of the turning of the plate 42, one of theopenings 63 registers with the end of one of the pipes, then the pumppressure is transmitted to the lubricant in thepipes and forces some ofthe lubricant past each retardant, in accordance with the amountofresistance which has been provided in each retardant and which will begreater or less, according to the quantity of oil each. bearing is toreceive.

.When, the valve H is used in addition to the flow, retardant 61, theregistration of the opening 43 with one end of'o'ne of the pipes leadingto the chassis bearings will result in the pump pressure beingtransmitted tothe lubricant in the pipe thereby forcing themovable valve13 to the left as shown inFig. 11. As-the movable valve l3 travelstoward the left in said figure, 'it first cooperates with the seat 16 tocut off effective communication between the chamber 12 and the outlet.end 11 and thereafter the right-hand end of the movable valve 13 clearsthe seat 15 and permits oil to flow freely into the chamber 12 in whichthe oil compresses the air into the upper part thereof until thepressureof the compressed air is substantially equal to the pump pressure. Itwill thus be obvious that the capacity of this chamber can be varied byvarying the dimensions thereof; During the leftward stroke of themovable valve 13, this valve will tend to force into the bearing part ofthe oil which lies between it and the bearing. If the conduit connectingthe outlet end ll of the valve H with the bearing is partially filledwith air, leftward movement of the movable valve 13 will serve tocompress this air and in some instances where this connecting conduit isfull or substantially full of oil, the resistbetween the pipe and theengine lubricating sys tern, the spring 14 slowly returns the movablevalve 13 to the position shown in Fig. 11. 7 As this valve moves towardthe right in said figure, it bypasses .sufficientlubricant 'fronrinfront @thereof to permit. its return-toginitial position; The;- slightclearance between this:movable valve'and v its seats which permits thisby-passingisonly the normal clearance which is usually provided in.mechanical devices of the size and type of this valve-and is notsumciently large to permit'any leakage of lubricant past the movablevalve dur-,' ing the short period when the port 43 connects the valvewith the engine oil pump.

While we prefer to use the lubricant in the engine base as a source ofsupply, it will be understood that a separate reservoir may be used forthe supply to the intermittently lubricated bearings. It will also beunderstood that the form of the distributor valve may be varied withinwide limits and may be of any of the known types other than the rotaryvalve which we have chosen for purposes of illustration. It will also beunderstood that, if desired, individual pipes may be run from thedistributor valve to each bearing, but preferably we provide a branched.system to economize in tubing.

While we have illustrated and described our invention as it would beapplied to a motor vehicle, it will be understood that it maybe appliedto other kinds of machines; and'furthermore. that some parts of ourinvention may beused independently of other partszthereof.

We claim:

1. In a motor vehicle, in combination; chassis bearings, an installationfor supplying lubricant to said bearings, said installation including aforce pump delivering at a level higher than said bearings, a pipingsystem normally maintained partly filled with oil and supplied from saidpump intermittently with small charges of oil and having outlet branchesleading to various bearings, a device in each of said branches to limitthe flow ioitherethrcugh, said branches normally oil-sealed to preventtheentry of air in reverse direction therethrough, said piping systembeing also closed from the external air ahead of said branches, so

rium of the pipe contents is restored,

2. A chassis lubricating system comprising pip-' ing having an elevatedinlet and including outlets leading to the bearings and restricting thenfree flow of fiuid'therethrough in eitherldirection and normallymaintaining a quantity of oil in the piping, a supply installation atsaid inletincluding a force pump to introduce small charges of lubricantinto the piping and including an oil-sealed inlet valve closed duringthe intervals between pump operations, said outlets adapted to emitlubricant tlierethrough consequent upon forcingsmall charges of oil intothe head of the pipe line until-1 equilibrium in the system is restored.

3. In a motor vehicle, in combination, chassis bearings, an'installationfor supplying lubricant to said bearings, said installation including aforce pump having a fixed cylinder delivering at La level higher thansaid bearings, a piping system of said branches to limit the flowtherethrough,

said branches normally oil sealed to prevent the entry of air in reversedirection therethrough, said piping system being also closed from theexternal air ahead of said branches, so that the branches will emit oilto the bearings after pump;

operation, until the state of 5 equilibrium of the pipezcontents is.restored.

4; In a motor vehicle, a chassis lubricating system:.comprising pipinghaving an, elevated inlet,

outletsadapted; to emit lubricant therethrough' consequent upon, forcingsmall charges of oil into thehead of the pipe line until equilibrium inthe system is restored.

5; .A-chassis lubricating system comprising pipinghaving anelevatedinlet and including outlets leading to the bearings and restricting thefree flow of fiuid-therethrough in either direction and normallymaintaining a quantity of oil in the piping, a-supply installation atsaid inlet including a force pump operated by the engine of the vehicleto introduce small charges of lubricant intozthe piping and including anoil sealed inlet valve closedduring the intervalsbetween pumpoperations,- said outlets, including flow resisting plugs insertedtherein and adapted to emit lubricant :therethrough consequent uponforcing small charges-yof oil into the-head of the-piping, line,untilequilibrium in the system is restored.

6. In azmotor vehicle, in combination, chassis bearings, aninstallationfor supplying lubricant to said bearings,- saidinstallationincluding a force pump, delivering at a level higher than saidbearings-,-a;piping system normallyhavinga body of oil therein andsupplied'from said pump intermittently 'withlsmallcharges'of oil andhaving outlet-branches leading to-various bearings, a flowretardant-in'each of said branches to limit the flow therethrough, saidbranches automaticallysealed'by the action of the oil to prevent theentry of air in reverse direction therethrough,

said-piping system beingalso-closed from the e):-

te-rna'l air-ahead of saidbranches so that the branches will emit oiltothe bearings after pump operation, until-the state of zequilibrium ofthe pipe contents is restored.

7. In a motor vehicle, incombination, chassis bearings, an installationfor supplying lubricant to said bearings, said installation including areservoirhavinga force pump submerged there- I in for delivering at alevel higher than saidbearings; apiping system normally maintainedpartly filled with. oil and supplied from said pump intermittently withsmall charges of oil andhaving outletcbranches leading to variousbearings, a flow retardant in each of said branches to limit theflowtherethrough, said flow retardant comprising an-inadjustable plug ofcross-section no greater than that of saidpipingsaid branches beingautomatically sealed bytheaction of the oil to prevent the entry of airin reversedirection therethrough, a-valvefor closing said piping systemfromthe-external air ahead of said branches, so that the branches willemit oil to the bearings after pump operation, until the state ofequilibrium of the pipe contents is restored:

8. A central chassis lubricating installation ineluding apipe linehaving an inlet closed against venting, and having branches with outletsfeeding the bearings and connected in multiple, means closing saidbranches against venting, said 'anti-,-

venting means normally open to the pipe line from which they aresupplied and having therein lubricant passageways so small as to preventconcurrent flow of lubricant and air therethrough in oppositedirections, said passageways adapted to emit lubricant therethroughconsequent upon forcing smallcharges of lubricant into the head of thepipe line, until equilibrium in the system is restored.

9. A central chassis lubricating installation including a reservoir, apower-operated pump submerged therein, a pipe line having an inletclosed against venting, and having branches with outlets feechng thebearings and connected in multiple, means closing said branches againstventing, said anti-venting means normally open to the pipe line fromwhich they are supplied and having therein lubricant passageways sosmall as to prevent concurrent flow of lubricant and air therethroughin: opposite directions, said passageways adapted to emit lubricanttherethrough consequent upon forcing small charges of lubricant into the'head of the pipe line, until equilibrium in the system is restored.

10. A central chassis lubricating installation including a pipe linehaving outlets mounted near the bearings and connected in multiple, apump connected to the inlet of the piping system, means closing saidinlet against venting, means closing said outlets against venting, saidlatter antiventing means being located at the bearing ends of thebranches and being normally open to the pipe line from which they aresupplied and having therein lubricant passageways so small as to preventthe concurrent flow of lubricant from the piping, a supply installationat said inlet including a force pump operated by the engine of thevehicle to inject at intervals varying with engine operation smallcharges of lubricant into the piping and including an oil-sealed inletvalve closed during the intervals between pump injections, said outletsadapted to emit lubricant therethrough consequent upon forcing smallcharges of oil'into the head of the pipe line until equilibrium in thesystem is restored.

12. In a motor vehicle, in combination, chassis bearings, aninstallation for supplying lubricant to said bearings, said installationincluding a force pump having a fixed cylinder delivering at a levelhigher than said bearings, said pump being operated from the engine ofthe vehicle, a piping system normally maintained substantially filledwith oil and supplied from said pump intermittently with small chargesof oil and having outlet branches leading to the various bearings, meansin each of said branches to limit the flow therethrough, said branchesnormally and automatically sealed by the action of the oil in saidsystem" to prevent the entry of air in reverse direction therethrough,said piping system being also closed from the external air ahead of saidbranches, so that the branches will emit oil to the bearings after pumpoperation, until the state of equilibrium of the pipe contents isrestored.

13. In a motor vehicle, in combination, chassis bearingsfan installationfork supplying lubricant to said bearings, said installation includingareservoir, a force pump submerged therein and delivering at a'levelhigher than said bearings,

said pump being operated from the engine of the" vehicle, a pipingsystem normally maintained substantially filled with oil and suppliedfrom, said pump intermittently with small charges of oil and havingoutlet branches leading to the various bearings, means ineach ofjsaidbranches com 'prisingfa small plug to: limit the flow therethrough, saidbranches normally and automati-- cally sealed by the action of the oilin said system to prevent the entryof air in reverse directiontherethrough, and a valve closing said. piping system from' the externalair ahead of said branches, so that'the branches will emit oil to thebearings after pump operation, untilthe state of I equilibrium of thepipe contents is restored. i

.for a motor Vehicle having an engine, including a distributing systemhaving drip plug outlets, and 7 means functioning incidental to thenormal operation of said-engine to resiliently apply and sustainpressure upon the lubricant in the system for substantiallycontinuousemission through the drip plugs during vehicle operation.

16. In an automobile having an engine and numerous chassis bearingsrequiring lubrication, an oil reservoir, connections between thereservoir and said bearings, metering means of metal in said connectionsto properly apportion oil amongtheseveral chassis bearings, textilefiber plugs in series with said.'metering.ineans, and means driven fromthe engine to initiate the flow of oil through said connections, plugsand meter-. ing means to said bearings.

17. In a centralized lubricating system for the lubrication of thechassis bearings of an automotive vehicle having a motor for propellingthe same, the combination of an oil reservoina pump deriving its supplyof oil from said reservoir, and

adapted to discharge oil under pressure, a

branched conduit system supplied with oil by the discharge of said pump,lubricant flow metering devices positioned adjacent the ends of thebranches of said conduit system for proportioning the discharge of saidpump among a plurality of said chassis bearings in accordance with,

their predetermined requirements, a plug of textile fiber in series witheach metering means, and means controlled by the said engine of said'vehicle for intermittently interrupting the discharge of oil into saidconduit system by said pump. I

18. In an automobile having engine bearings and chassis bearings, alubricating system for 'said bearings comprising a lubricant reservoir,a

pump having its inlet near the bottom of said reservoir and deriving itspower from the engine of the automobile, connections from said pump tosaid bearings, said connections including branches, metallic meteringmeans in each branch, saidmetering means including a check valve, afilter plug of textile fibers ineach branch,

7 and a connection between said pump and the antomobile engine wherebysaid pump is.operated incidental to the operation of said engine.

19. In an automobile having chassisbearings requiring lubrication andan-engine,-a centralized lubricating system comprising a, pumpingmechanism deriving power from said engine, a

branched conduit system leading to a plurality of chassis bearingshaving predetermined diverse lulbrication requirements, metering meansfor apportioning the' lubricant supplied by said pump mechanism amongsaid chassis bearings inpredetermined amounts corresponding to theirrequirements, filter means adjacent said metering means, saidpumpingmechanism being operated to inject charges of oil into saidconduit system intermittently, and said conduit system having resiliencyfor temporarily storing part of the lubricant injected, and supplyingitto the'bearings in a slow, substantially continuous flow, and valvemechanism in said metering means for preventing the draining of thelubricating system when the automobile is not in operation.

20. In an automobile having power mechanism for propelling the same anda plurality of bearings having difierent lubrication requirements, acentralized lubricating system comprising an oil reservoir, 2. powerdriven pump supplied therefrom, a branched conduit system connectingsaid pump with said bearings, power operated control means coordinatedwith'said pump to regulate the supplyof lubricant to said conduitsystem, filter means comprising fiber plugs in the branches of theconduit system, and metering means in said branches to apportion thelubricant among the branches according to their individual requirements.

21. In a lubricating system for the chassis bearings of an automobile, apump having a casing,'a member movable in said casing to discharge oiltherefrom under pressure, a reservoir'connected with'said casing andforming the source of supply'for said pump, a branched conduit systemconnecting said pump with a plurality of bearings having difierentlubrication require- ,ments, power. operated means coordinated with saidpump to regulate the supply of oil to said conduit system, a fibroustextile strainer in each branch of said conduit system, and metallicmetering means of predetermined diverse'ratings; .in the branches ofsaidconduit system to apportion the lubricant supplied to the bearingsaccording to their individual requriements,

22. In a centralized lubricating system of the class described, thecombination of a lubricant reservoir, means including a pump suppliedtherefrom, a branched conduit systemconnectingsaid means with bearingsrequiring lubrication, a flow resistance in the conduit branches, and apower operated variable speed transmission for selectively driving saidmeans at different speeds.

23. In a centralized lubricating system for the chassisv bearings of anautomobile, a lubricant reservoir, means including a pump suppliedtherefrom, a branchedconduit connecting said means with thechassislbearings, flow resistances in the branches of said conduit andadjacent said bearings, check valves in said branches, mechanismfordriving. said means at either of two different speeds, said mechanismderiving its enbearing to be lubricated, means including aflowresistance and a valve located in each branch, and machine drivenmechanism for intermittently injecting small quantities of lubricantcorresponding to the exact needs of the bearings into said conduitwhereby pressure is produced in said conduit, saidmeans functioning toapportion accurately the quantity of lubricant delivered from eachbranch to its bearing in predetermined relthereinto. SYLVANUS D. LOCKE.CHARLES R. DOSCH.

tween pump injections -.40 ative quantities depending upon therequirements of the individual bearings irrespective of their severalresistances, and to maintain said conduit substantially filled withlubricant be-

